Les Papillons ont Volés
by EchoSerenade
Summary: Beautiful butterflies' wings bat gently against my skin. "I love you." He smiles, but do not reply. His hand slides across my body to where my heart lay. "Don't leave me," I whisper. "Never." With Tyki Mikk is where Love and Death collide. TykixOC
1. Prologue

_Les Papillons ont Volés_

_Author-chan: I know I said I wanted to keep the facts straight. T.T But… I don't know enough! I'm trying to remember what I saw in the anime, but the anime is not enough and I haven't read the this fanfic, normal weapons can kill akumas with the soul intact._

_Dang it... I also tried to have a more creative line break, but it is not allowing me to put plus signs or hearts... How can it not allow me to put plus signs? What if I wanted to put an equation into the text? :(_

_I also have a huge problem with formatting on here... I can't make indentations and I can't skip more than one line... This ended up looking slightly more messy than I intended it to be.  
_

Disclaimer: I do not own Man or anything you may recognize as not mine.

(This is the only chapter that will display this, but it applies throughout the entire story.)

_Summary_:

_ Beautiful butterflies' wings bat gently against my skin. _

_"I love you."_

_He smiles at me, but do not reply. His arms surround me from behind in a tight embrace. _

_"I love you," I repeat as his hand slides across my body to my chest where the birth mark lay – to where my heart beats for him. "I love you." He slips in, bringing a chilling cold inside me. It hurt. It hurt to love him. _

_"Please don't leave me, Tyki," I whisper as I slowly lose consciousness._

_"Never."_

* * *

**Les Papillon ont Volés**

_Ma Famille est Morte_

There is not too much that is needed to be known about me. I have a pale face adorn with dark hair and eyes. I am not unusually tall or unusually short. My family is not particularly poor, but we are not particularly rich. I have a maman, papa, two older brothers, and one little sister. There are only two peculiar things about me. One, my papa encouraged me to take up fencing, his own personal passion, after realizing that my oldest brother only cars about his studies and my second brother is always too busy shoplifting from vendors. There is also no way my five-year-old little sister can learn to fence, so it was up to me, age twelve, to live up to his wishes. Two, I have two birth marks that marred my skin: one above my heart and one on my lower back. Both are in the shape of a cross and that about sums up little ol' Ria Tallentyre.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"Someone get the bloody door!" Someone has been banging on it for the past minute and papa has finally snapped. He had just come home from a strenuous week at sea, working as a merchant.

"Annabella! Stop crying!" maman's voice can be heard from the kitchen. Annabella must have accidentally caught her hair on the knob of the backdoor again. Maman has time and time again tried to cut her long hair, but she time and time again refused. Of course, the long blonde hair suits her pale heart-shaped face beautifully and bring out the shine in her baby blue eyes.

With everyone busy doing their own things and my second brother, Jacque, wrecking havoc in town again, I am the only one available to take the door, which I do so reluctantly.

Familiar sapphire eyes meet my own as the door swings open. He has a smile on his face as he holds up his arms.

"Jonathon!" I give him a heartfelt embrace. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you, too."

Jonathon, my eldest brother had gone abroad to study in England three years ago and this is the first time I have seen him since.

"Big brother is back! Big brother is back! Annabella wants to see big brother Jonny!" Annabella's cries can be heard, but was quickly shushed by maman who was still trying to untangle her hair. She does not have a clear memory of Jonathon, but I always tell her about all the times he took care of me and taught me names to flowers and butterflies.

"Jonathon, my boy, come in and give papa a hug!" papa says from behind me. Jonathon makes his way over to him with me still clinging on to him like an octopus.

"Big brother Jonny! Big brother Jonny!" Annabella is finally free from the door and joins me on Jonathon. "Annabella miss Jonny!` Annabella miss Jonny! Does Jonny miss Annabella?"

Jonathon looks down and pats her on the head. "Of course I missed you, Annabella."

"Come! Come! Maman make pie! Maman make pie!"

"Yes! Maman makes the best meringue pies!" We each take one of his hands and tug him into the kitchen where the scent of lemon fills the air.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

For the rest of the night, the family, with the absence of Jack, shares a good laugh with food that warm our stomachs.

"It's time to go to bed, Ria, Annabella," maman states when the clock's hand reaches 12. She allowed us to stay up extra late to spend time with papa and Jonathon.

"Good night, papa!" We kiss him.

"Good night, maman!" We kiss her.

"Good night, Jonny!" We kiss him.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

Not long after I close my eyes, I hear a scream and sit up.

"Ria…?" Annabella stirs from beside me.

A second scream fills the air.

"Maman…?" I whisper.

"Maman in trouble, Ria?"

"I… I don't know," I answer her. "Stay here. If anyone comes in, hide under the bed or in the closet and don't make a noise."

I quietly open the door and tiptoe down the stairs.

"What are you doing, Jonathon?" I hear papa roar out.

"Jonathon…" an odd distorted voice replies. "Jonathon is not heeeere~!"

I peek from around the wall and spot an odd bloated… thing floating in the air. It has… cannons everywhere? My twelve-year-old mind is having a difficult trying to comprehend the creature in front of me.

"What have you done to Jonathon, you monster?" papa shouts with a sword in his hand. His stance was perfect, something I strive to achieve. He swings at the monster, dodging enormous… bullets that are being shot from the creature. He is doing well, until…

"Ria…?" My eyes snap to Annabella who is coming down the stairs. "Papa?" I grab her as she tries to run to papa, who is now distracted.

One of the bullets caught him in the chest and he coughs in pain. "Papa!"

"Ta-take your sister out of here…" papa whispers as pentacles begin to spread across his skin. "Remember that… papa and maman… loves you…"

"Papa!" I tug Annabella's crying form out.

"Come on! We have to go, Anna!"

We run out the house, but stop at the sight in front of us. They are everywhere! People are running out of their houses and getting caught by the many bullets that shower down at them. "Ria… Annabella is scared… Annabella wants maman and papa…" When I remain silent, she repeats herself. "Annabella wants maman and papa! Annabella wants maman and papa!" I quickly cover her mouth and move us to the side of the house, behind a tree. The creature from within the house floats by, looking around before being attracted to other villagers.

"Annabella," I whisper. "You have to stay quiet, okay? We're going back into the house, but don't make a sound." A whimper escapes her lips, but she nods. "Good girl. Annabella is a good girl."

We slip back into the house and I grab the sword papa used to fight the creature. There is nothing left of their bodies, but dust. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my beating heart, afraid it will be heard by the monsters outside. _We'll be okay… We'll be okay… Jacque, where are you…?_

"I see youuu~!" That horrid sound brings a shiver down my spine.

"I'm not letting you take her!" I shout, turning around and swinging my sword at it. It dodges. "Annabella, hide! Don't let them get you!" She scurries off to hide behind papa's armchair, her back to the wall. I swing my sword at it again, but he dodges, giving a maniacal laugh. I am relentless, but the bullets that are being shot toward me make it difficult to remain in the offensive.

Suddenly, I misread one of its movements and the bullet hits me straight in the chest. I gasp for breath, hitting the wall behind me.

"Ria!" Annabella screams as I land beside her.

I cough, a bit of blood spray across the white carpet, slowly staining and drying up. Am I going to die like papa and maman? I cough again before pain rack my entire body, leaving me screaming. I fall to my side, writhing in agony. My vision flickers on and off.

The creature, seeing my pain, focuses its attention on the other human. It is not until I hear a delicate scream and the tear of fabric do I come back to my senses. I cough again, blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. "Annabella… Annabella…"

"Ria… Annabella… Will Annabella see papa and maman…?"

I cannot see her, but I know what happened. My beautiful, innocent sister…

One more cough escapes my lips before I find myself fuel by the anger from within me. I jump to my feet, but nearly topple over from the unfamiliar weight on my back. White feathers flutter around me. Wings…? I flap them, testing out the feathery appendages before charging at the monster.

It explodes when I finally manage strike it through the core. I flew away out of the house when smoke fills the air.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

I look around me. It has taken me until morning, but they are all gone. Not a lot of the villagers are left, either, perhaps a handful. They cried for the lost of their families and friends as I also wish to do, but I cannot cry now… Not after everything that has happened. I cannot allow myself to break and let my guard down. Who knows how many more are lurking about, waiting to strike.

I sit on the porch, waiting for something. The wings have long since disappeared after all the creatures were destroyed. I am left with an empty feeling of lost and unease.

"Oh? So the carrier is a girl this time?" a man muses in front of me. "If only you are older…"

I look up and see a mass of red, black, and gold. His hair is the reddest I have ever seen and his black hat and white mask makes him look incredibly out of place in this village.

"Who are you?" I inquire after analyzing him.

He has a lecherous grin on his face as he takes a seat beside me. "The Akuma sure did their job here. Nearly wiped it out. You don't happen to know where they went, do you ?"

I tilt my head. "They? Akuma? The things that attacked the village?"

"Yes, the Akuma. Big spheres that shoot bullets out."

"I destroyed them."

He does not have the look of surprise, like I expected. "And how did a little girl like you destroy them?" I flash him the sword that is still by my side. He scrutinizes it with his gaze and frowns. "That's not where the Innocence is…" he mutters. "Anything else special on you, girl?"

"Wings." He lifts up an eyebrow. "I had wings when I fought them." The man moves behind me and lifts up my filth-ridden shirt. I let out a scream in shock and try to move away, but he holds steady. "Pervert!" I shout when I felt his hand on my birth mark.

"Innocence… A parasitism type, hmm?" He drops my shirt and settles back beside me. "I guess you should come with me, apprentice."

"What? What are you talking about? I'm not your apprentice!" I am beyond confused by now. Who is this strange man?

"Since I really don't feel like going back there, I'll just take you along with me instead," he says, grinning. "But of course, you'll need to pay me back, so don't be surprised when I give you odd jobs to do."

"Odd jobs?" This man is mad! "I'm not going or doing anything for you!"

"Come on, girl. Time to train you." He is not listening! "I'm Marian Cross, but you can call me Master."

* * *

This is the first time I've written first person present tense. If it bothers you, please tell me and I will change this chapter and start writing in past tense again.

Hopefully, I will be able to get the next chapter up soon. I know I have started quite a few stories, not finish them or end in a cliffhanger, but I will try to give this a proper ending... eventually... hopefully...

I think the family name, Tallentyre, might be German. I'm not quite sure, but this chapter is set in France. This location is not really significant in any way to the plot (at the moment), it is just for my own complete image of the story.

However, the titles are in French.

_Les Papillons ont Volés_ means "The Butterflies Flew". _Volés_ can also mean "stolen" or "robbed."

_Ma Famille est Morte_ is translated to "My Family is Dead."

_Maman _I believe is the French version of "Mommy" (a less formal way to address mother), opposed to _ma mère_.

_Papa_ is just "Papa" in English and French.

I apologize if the French will cause a bit of trouble for understand, but I do not plan to use it too often, mainly ones that are easily understood. The titles, however, will most likely be in French for my own amusement and for my lack of imagination for a better name.

I also apologize if my grammar in French and English is incorrect. I only have high school French (which really isn't a lot) and my English grammar just… slips from me quite often.


	2. Chapter One

_Les Papillons ont Volés_

_Author-chan: I can't believe how many French grammatical errors I've made in those little titles (realized after reading them over). Hopefully I've fixed them all now… _

**_Thank You so much for the Reviews_** ^.^

_Summary_:

_ Beautiful butterflies' wings bat gently against my skin. _

_ "I love you."_

_ He smiles at me, but do not reply. His arms surround me from behind in a tight embrace. _

_ "I love you," I repeat as his hand slides across my body to my chest where the birth mark lay – to where my heart beats for him. "I love you." He slips in, bringing a chilling cold inside me. It hurt. It hurt to love him. _

_ "Please don't leave me, Tyki," I whisper as I slowly lose consciousness._

_ "Never."_

_

* * *

_

**Les Papillons ont Volés**

_Cross: L'Homme Stupid_

"Can't wait until you turn nineteen~!" a very drunk red head titters like an annoying wasp.

"Cross, I won't be nineteen for another six and a half years!" I refuse to call him Master. It is far too insinuating with a man like him. No way am I going to let such a lecherous man put me in such a disadvantageous position!

It only took me one day to realize that he is the worst or the worse. He is the type of guy that you can't live with, yet cannot live without. He knows that he is indispensable, and he knows that I know he is indispensable.

General Marian Cross filled me in about the Black Order and how they are on a mission to cleanse the world of the Earl's malicious intents. The Earl who has been behind the creation of those creatures that wiped out like family. Those creatures, Akuma, can easily eliminate living organisms with a single bullet, but those are only the Level Ones. The Akuma can level up depending on how many people they kill. The higher the level, the more powerful and intelligent it gets. And supposedly, the only way to kill the Akuma is with Innocence. It seems, however, that the sword I used was not embedded with an Innocence and should have destroyed the human soul entrapped within the Akuma. And perhaps that is exactly what happened when I destroyed all of them in the village. Perhaps I eliminated any chance Jonathon had to move on into the afterlife.

It was fortunate that Cross said I do possess an Innocence shard. It is embedded on my lower back. The skin has completely covered the shard, leaving no ominous glow; instead, it left a burn-like mark on my back – black and disgusting. This makes me a parasite type. In contrary, Cross has an equipment-based Innocence. In fact, he uses two. The first is Judgment, his main weapon. It is a shiny silver gun with gold symbols on it. The other is the Grave of Maria. The Innocence shard embedded in the corpse of Maria is not his, though; he refuses to tell me how he came about it.

After spending nearly a year with him on random suicide missions, I realize that he rarely talks about himself, but there are a few distinct facts about him. One, he is a pervert and went to brothels frequently. Two, he drinks like an old man who lost his wife and his children abandoned him. Three, he has a huge debt with almost everyone in every town. And since the only way I can "pay him back" for his kindness is to earn money for the debts, I have no choice but to learn how to gamble. The first few games were horrible; I lost every single one of them and ended up with an even larger debt, so I learned another thing… to cheat. Most of the men are either too drunk to notice or they wish to woo a thirteen-year-old into bed with them because they can't do any better.

The most exciting thing that has happened to me in that past year, however, is that I found out how to use my wings to do more than just fly. The feathers, when shed and lands on an Akuma, causes it to fall asleep. Sadly, it does not seem to affect humans at all, for I have tried many times to get Cross to fall asleep and failed. A direr downside to my wings is that every time I use it, I end up in a fit of coughs and blood. Cross does not know the reason behind this, but he suspects that the Innocence uses my life force and advises me not to use it to much.

"Stop daydreaming, little girl," Cross slurred. "Akuma coming our way."

I spot it and look around for the General, but as expected, he is already gone. As if I could just stop using the Innocence… What am I even going to do without a proper weapon?

"CROSS! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU IF I SURVIVE THIS!"

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

I sit atop one of the Akuma, wiping the corner of my mouth with a handkerchief and wondering what I am going to do with their sleeping forms. The last time I tried to use my sword on one, Cross nearly took me out with Judgment.

"Oi, Akuma…" I poked it with the sheath of my sword. "Tell me what to do to get rid of you… or where Cross crawled off to. He's probably drinking again. Or trying to woo another lady. Or maybe he fell into a hole and couldn't get out… God knows he deserves it."

"Badmouthing your master, are you?"

I sigh. Of course he would arrive at a time like this.

"I should work you extra."

"Cross, where were you?" I grumble. "You told me yourself I'm a defensive type. What am I suppose to do with the Akuma other than put them to sleep?"

He places a hand on my head and ruffles it. "Here." He throws something at me.

It is gold, round and… alive? I look at it with curiosity. "What is it?" I watch its wings flutter lazily in the air before it lands on my shoulder. My finger prod at it curiously before it opens its mouth and chop down. "Mon dieu! What the Hell did you give me?"

"A golem," he replies. "Something you can use to communicate with."

"… Communicate with who? You?" I incredulously inquire. "You're always around. Until, of course, I actually need you. Then you'd go scurrying off and even this vicious thing wouldn't be able to reach you." The golem chops down on my ear this time. "Stop it!" I whack angry at the thing. It is more annoying than blood-sucking mosquitoes.

Cross only gives me a grin as if he knows something I do not. He is so easily hated…

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"You can't get lucky this time!"

"Full house!" I grin happily at the disappointed faces and collect all the coins and a house deed. I didn't even have to cheat that time!

"She cheated!" the newly homeless man protests. What a sore loser. "Check her clothes! Take them off!"

"H-hey!" I cry out as the men circle me with a malicious glint in their eyes. "I didn't cheat!" One grabs my arm, lifting me up with one hand. My feet dangle helplessly in the air. "Let go of me!" Another hand wanders to my sleeves. Uh-oh…

"She has cards in there!"

I kick my legs until I hit the one holding me hostage. "I didn't cheat that game! I won your house fair and square!" I run up to the table to gather up my winnings, but realize that the coins and deed are already gone. "?"

"What waiting for, stupid girl!"

Stupid Cross!

I run for it.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"Hey, sweet cheeks. I'll give you a ride of your life."

My right eye twitches in annoyance. He must be the fifth person tonight who has asked me to join them in bed. I hate it when Cross leaves me outside the brothel waiting for him while he goes off to his lady companions.

I sigh as I sit in the corner. It does not help that I was in a cute black knee length dress with gold trimmings. Cross seems to have it in his head that this is the only way I will become a proper lady, so he refuses to give me money to buy anything else but dresses. As if I can become a "proper lady" while fighting Akuma! These dresses are nothing but an inconvenience. It is cold and men have the wrong idea. Stupid Cross…

"Five pounds good, lovely?" Not another one…

"No! Leave me alone!" I run off. One can only take so much of this nonsense. I'm only thirteen for Heaven's sake! Why would I even think abou- "Ouch!" This is all his fault!

"Are you alright, little lady?" I glance up to see a debonair man – clad in a black top hat and suit, completed with shiny dress shoes. His ashy skin brings out his luminous golden eyes and his grin reminds me of the Cheshire Cat that Charles Dodgson created. He extends his hand towards me and I take it as a lady would.

"Fine, thank you," I curtly reply, dusting myself off. "Goodbye." He quickly moves in front of me when I try to walk by. I sidestep and he follows.

"A lady like you shouldn't be out alone in this part of town," he states. "Where are your parents?"

"Not here."

"They allow you to wander the streets by yourself?"

"Well, they're not here are they?" I retort.

"Oh…?" Maybe that is not the smart thing to say. I don't like the sudden gleam in his eyes.

Quickly, I turn around to escape him, but arms wrap around my stomach, pulling me back. I hit his body with a soft thump. My heart flutter nervously against my chest. I feel a hand slip under my dress and lift it up, exposing my underwear. Immediately, my cheeks flush red. "PERVERT!" Without meaning to, my wings burst open, hitting him in the face and forcing him back. Pain surge through my back before numbing into a dull throb.

I keep a few feet of distance in the air from him. His eyes glow ominously in the night as his grin widens. He reminds me of a cat finally catching a fish and eating it, too. "Do you like to play games?" I fly away, not bothering to answer him.

The fear is still coursing through me when I land on the rooftop of the brothel. There is no way that man is human. Eyes are not supposed to be gold and they do not glow.

"Where are you, little girl?" I hear Cross shout through a window. "Get this little pest out of my room!" With that said, Croix, the golem named after Cross for how much of a pest it is, is thrown out the window. It flies over to me in a huff and makes a home in my hair.

"He doesn't like you any better than he likes me does he, ma petite Croix?" I whisper, taking it out of my hair and holding it gently against me to comfort myself. "You left to Cross to find me help didn't you?" It nuzzles against me. "But of course, Cross being Cross is never there when I'm in need of help. Don't worry, though. I'll probably never see him again. We're going to Sweden soon. Besides, maybe… he's just a lecher like that stupid man." Even I don't believe my own words. Maybe he wanted to see the Innocence…? "Let's hope Cross is done soon, I don't want to wait here all night." Unfortunately, I think I just jinxed myself.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"You're using me as bait?"

"He likes woman."

"You can just buy a dress and wear it! Your hair is feminine enough! I'm not even a woman yet! He's not going to be interested in a girl like me!"

"What if he wants to cop a feel down there? He'll know I'm definitely a man." I'm glad he's so confident in his masculinity, but…

"There's no way I'm going to let him touch me!" I cry out. "No one will marry me!" Oh no… That man has seen my underwear! I'll never marry and have children! I'll turn out to be a spinster~!

"Stop being such a prude, no one is going to marry an ill-tempered girl like you anyhow," he states. "Not only that, you have nothing to compensate for it – nothing upstairs or downstairs."

I gawk at him. How dare he? "Croix, bite him!" I command, but the stupid golem gives a yawn and nestles deeper into my hair. "Traitor…"

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

"This dress is even shorter than the other ones you buy me~!" I whine, crocodile tears pouring down my cheeks. "Why are you such a pervert?" He replies by pushing me into the brothel.

"Take care of her for me, sweethearts~!" He grins at the ladies he has thoroughly acquainted himself with.

"No, let go of me. Let go! No~!" Cross will die! "Sleep with one eye open, Cross!"

As soon as the women dragged me in, they cover me in perfume and powder. This feeling is more agonizing than when I activate my wings. I'm going to die here, aren't I?

"You have such smooth skin, cupcake," he purrs into my ears, his pudgy hands stroking up and down my arms. I fight back shivers. "There are far too many experienced women here; it's rare to find a jewel like you. Still innocent, untouched, a virgin." His breath stinks of alcohol and onions. "So soft… So soft… That two hundred pounds is definitely worth it."

Suddenly, he lifts my body and drops me on to the bed. I snatch a pillow and hug it, putting a barrier between him and I.

Swallowing back the bile that is fighting to spew out, I utter, "Y-your Grace, perhaps we should not rush this. You have paid for the entire night. Surely we can… just wait a little bit. I've heard from the ladies that anticipation makes it better." God knows what else they told me while they were pampering my face with an inch-thick of powder.

"Yes, yes… Of course…" he mumbles, crawling over to me. "Do you want to… talk a bit?"

"Oh, I am quite interested in you, Your Grace," I coat my voice with as much sugar and honey as I can manage. "How is it that you have become such a rich and powerful man?"

He grins happily at the thought of being able to boast about his title. "Well, after I obtained the title Duke, I happened to make a nice little contract with a powerful man."

"Powerful man?" I ask with genuine curiosity. "Anyone you can recommend me to?"

The Duke opens his mouth, but freezes. "O-oh. I don't think he will be interested."

I give him watery eyes and trembling lips. "You don't think I'm good enough for him?"

"N-no! It's not that! You're perfect, cupcake. It's just that… He's a very busy man and tends to spend all his time working," he stutters.

"Is there no other way you can help me, Your Grace?" I reach over the bed to the corner table where a bottle of wine and two wine glasses rest. The pillow lay forgotten and the dress riles up my legs. I notice him gawking as I pour the wine into two glasses and hand one to him. "Drink?"

He takes a sip as I pretend to take one with him. I chat with him for half an hour before I deem him drunk enough and stupid enough.

"Your Grace, are you sure you can't help me?" I question him again. "The _Earl_ must have _some_ use for me."

He gives me a credulous look before hiccupping. "Earl? Did I *hic* say anything about an Earl?" I hold my breath, wondering if he will take the bait. "Well, if I already *hic* said something about him. H-he gives me these ph- *hic* phone calls and tells me a name *hic* and then I give them this- this drink that makes them go *hic* bye-bye."

"Make them go bye-bye? They die…?"

"Die… Die… They die…"

I dig my hand through my hair and take out Croix. "Cross! He confessed! Did you catch all that?"

"Oh, Marian~!" I heard a female voice from the other end.

Not again!

"Croix. Please tell me you have some type of recording mechanism," I say, shaking the tiny winged sphere. It opens its mouth and a hologram of my hair and the conversation comes out. "Perfect!"

"Cupcake, have I anticipated *hic* enough, yet?" the pudgy Duke slurs. "Let's take it all off, now."

"Not in your life!" I take the lamp and whack him with it.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

After the night with the Broker, I swore never to degrade like that, ever again. Of course, when Cross asks again, I probably won't have the chance to refuse…

* * *

DEFINITIONS:

_Cross: L'Homme Stupid_: "Cross: The Stupid Man"

_Mon Dieu_ : "My God"

_Croix_: "Cross"

_Ma petite Croix_: "My little Cross" since I have no idea whether golems have genders… I've decided to just use the article that agrees with the word _Croix_, which is feminine.

Notes:

Charles Lutwidge Dodgson is Lewis Carroll's real name and he is still alive during this time period, which I read is around the late 1800s. I'm not quite sure how he is referred to back then, maybe just by his pen name, but just to be different, I've settle for his real name.

I didn't get too into detail with how everything works because I'm sure most of you already know what a Broker does. I didn't want this chapter to get too long.

This chapter is mainly to establish the relationship Ria has with Cross and all the little situations she is placed in.

_**I'm still trying to find a way to skip more than one line at a time. **_

EXTRA INFO

Broker: A human who works for the Earl. They kill humans who have a close relationship with someone who is most likely going to try to resurrect the dead.

Ria: She is thirteen years old in this chapter.

Also! Regarding update, I might not be able to write for a week or two because it's midterm week AGAIN! Not sure why it's called midterm when there are two rounds of it for the same courses :(

**I have also added a picture of Ria Tallentyre. The link is located on my profile =P**


	3. Chapter Two

_Les Papillons ont Volés_

_Author-chan: If any of the information I have is incorrect, I apologize. It is not an intention to offend._

_I also apologize for taking so long to update. I've been in and out of my Tyki phase and school has been rather stressful, lately. Hopefully this chapter turned out alright. I actually finished this chapter shortly after the second one. I just never had the chance to upload it. The ending parts of it was actually written recently, though._

**_Thank You so much for the Reviews_**!

_Summary_:

_ Beautiful butterflies' wings bat gently against my skin. _

_ "I love you."_

_ He smiles at me, but do not reply. His arms surround me from behind in a tight embrace. _

_ "I love you," I repeat as his hand slides across my body to my chest where the birth mark lay – to where my heart beats for him. "I love you." He slips in, bringing a chilling cold inside me. It hurt. It hurt to love him. _

_ "Please don't leave me, Tyki," I whisper as I slowly lose consciousness._

_ "Never."_

* * *

**Les Papillons ont Volés**

_Je Le Vois  
_

I am officially sixteen today. I do not feel any different and my life certainly had not changed a bit. The only thing I have accomplished is being able to cope with the pain of activating the Innocence. This, however, does not mean it's not there. Of course, I am still working my butt off. I am doing everything I can, short of selling my body, to pay off Cross' endless debts. What does he even buy? The women can't be _that_ expensive. He doesn't buy me anymore new dresses even though they're all above my knees now and God knows if he ever changes his own set of clothes. I do not like to brag, but I think my cheating skills on the poker table can handle a week's worth of women every time. Maybe it is all going towards buying alcohol. Ha! I hope he ends up with alcohol poisoning. He needs to be taught a lesson.

"Would you like anymore tea, Miss Ria?" After spending so much time at the brothels, I have gotten to know quite a few of the ladies in several countries. The one we go to the most often is the one in China. Cross seems to favour Anita more than the other women… or so he says whenever he leaves this place. Maharajo, Anita's female bodyguard, who I thought was a man at first, is the only one I can have an intelligent conversation with that does not revolve around men.

"No, thank you." I watch as Xue Mei bows and retreats out of the room.

For a while now, I have been feeling rather… down – empty. It feels as if I have lost my reason to be. Ma raison d'être. "Ma petite Croix, what do you think is wrong with me? Am I broken?" The golem flutters its wings. "Maybe… Maybe I'm lonely. Maybe Cross' company is not enough. I don't want to be left alone. The only one I have is you and you can't even speak." I hug it close to me, careful not to crush its tiny wings. "Am I being too ungrateful? If I am not with Cross. If Cross didn't come and take me away from the village, who knows where I will be now. Maybe I'll actually be selling my body, then." I suddenly stand up, let go of Croix who flew on to the table, and give my cheeks a sharp slap. "All this perfume and scented candles must be getting to me. I'm going to go out for some air, want to come?"

Croix lands on my shoulder before I slip out of the room.

"_Cadet Rousselle a troismaison_

_Cadet Rousselle a trios maisons_

_Qui n'ont ni pouters ni chevrons_

_Qui n'ont ni pouters ni chevrons_

_C'est pour loger les hirondelles_

_Que direz-vous d'Cadet Rousselle?"_

"_Ah! Ah! Ah! Oui vraiment_

_Cadet Rousselle est bon enfant._

_Ah! Ah! Ah! Oui vraiment_

_Cadet Rousselle est bon enfant."_

"And have you been a good girl?"

A familiar shiver racks my spine. My luck isn't very good, is it? "I'm sorry, I don't understand," I manage in broken Chinese. "Please excuse me." I do not turn back to see if it is him. It's better if he stays a suspicion – my own imagination derived from my fears.

A chuckle reaches my ears. "Your pronunciation and accent is beautiful for someone who does not speak French," he purrs in English. "Do little ladies usually sing songs they do not understand?"

Hoping that he does not follow, I run without looking until I reach the brothel again. I really do not learn, do I? I'm such an idiot.

"Ma petite Croix. Ma petite Croix. This cannot possibly be a coincidence," I whisper. "Not once have I wandered off by myself after seeing him for the first time. God knows how frightened I was. It took me three years to finally get the chills out of me and when I finally decide to get some air, he's there again!" I take a deep breath, trying to calm my pounding heart. "Why does he make me feel such fear? Living with Cross' and fighting Akuma, you'd think I'd be used alright facing a man."

"Why are you talking to yourself, stupid girl?" Cross' voice is strangely comforting. Croix is a nice companion, but a human presence is much better.

"It's nothing," I reply, but Croix flutters over to its maker and showed a holographic version of the scene that occurred only minutes before. It is confirmed that that man is the same man from three years ago.

I watch Cross' face change as he sees the man. The way it darkens tips me off that my suspicions are correct. That man is not one to be trifled with.

"I never want you to see that man, again," Cross states while glaring at me as if it is my fault.

"As if I want to see him!" I protest. "He terrifies me!"

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

_A slender hand trails up the long nightgown I am donning. His firm body fit perfectly with my own, leaving no gaps between us. Soft whispers lull me half way to unconsciousness. His voice is dark and thick like velvet, pulling me into my most sinful fantasies. _

_ "Please," I whimper._

_ "Please what?" _

_ "Please," I repeat, not sure what it is I am pleading for._

_ "What do you want?"_

_ "You."_

_ "What do you want me to do?"_

_ I wiggle against him. "I don't know. Anything…"_

_ "Anything?" His hand slides out and his body shifts away, taking all the warmth with it. I feel the strings holding my dress together loosen until the cloth covering my right shoulder hangs loosely against my arm. His hand lingers on my skin until petal-like lips replace it. His warm and wet tongue darts out from between his supple lips and leave a trail of coldness on my skin. "Mmm… Yummy…" he purrs again my ear. "I want more of you."_

_ "Take all of me."_

_ He chuckles and rolls me over to face him. "Don't worry, I will because you're all mine."_

_ I smile and lazily open my eyes. His golden eyes stare back at me with a cruel grin teasing his lips. _

"NO!" My eyes snap open and see nothing but gold. In the midst of a panic attack, I whack whatever that is in front of me. Croix summersaults in the air and stops short of hitting the off-white walls.

I groan when I realize that that man is nowhere near me and flip on to my stomach before burying my face into the pillow. "Sorry, Croix," I mumble into the white fluff. "I know I shouldn't let it get to me, but the look on Cross' face that day when you showed him that man… I'm scared. I don't want to be, but I am."

Something suddenly falls on me. I grab for it and see a note written from Cross.

_Out,_

_C_

...

The note can't possibly get anymore brief. Where is he this early in the morning? He's never gotten drunk at this time of day, nor has he ever gone to his lady friends. Cross usually sleeps until well into the afternoon. What is he planning?

Suddenly, a loud explosion shakes the entire building. I look frantically around me, wondering what is happening. Looking out the window, I realize that the Akuma are invading the town and what do you know? Cross isn't around.

"Next time they come, I'm going to run for it and let _him_ deal with them," I grumble angrily as pain and wings burst out. "Sommeil sans Rêve!" White feathers fly toward the Akuma like magnets. "Run!" I shout towards the confused townsmen as lumpy ellipsoid bodies fall from the sky, creating craters on the ground.

I poke a body with my sheath. "You know, one day, I'll find a way to get rid of you guys properly," I say to its sleeping form. "It's really inconvenient to rely on someone so unreliable. How did he even get anything done without me?" I sigh. Maybe he had another poor, unfortunate soul working for him. I poke it again. "Is there really a soul in you? If this is just another one of Cross' ploys to make my life harder, I'll seriously kill him."

The view on the Akuma body is actually quite nice and looking around again, I realize that Cross is still not around. "Ma petite Croix, come here," I beckon the communication golem over. "Connect to Cross' golem." I hear white noise coming from Croix. "CROSS! IF YOU HEAR ME, GET YOUR FLAMING HEAD OVER, NOW!" I want and wait and receive no response as expected from experience.

Slowly, a crowd of curious townsmen circles the Akuma and I. "Are you an angel?" a small child asks.

I look down at him with a smile and tilt my head. "Angel? I don't think there are any angels in this world."

"Then what are you?"

"Don't you believe in God?"

I look thoughtfully at the sky. "Me? I'm just a girl waiting for someone, but I will never wait for God. If he exists then he would never allow such pain and destruction to erupt on this planet."

"How can you possibly lose faith in God?" a man speculates.

"Yes, we are the ones at fault," another adds. "This is our punishment."

"And what have you done?" I remark. "What have you done to deserve such a punishment? Isn't God supposed to be forgiving?"

Silence fills the air. "Don't listen to her!" someone suddenly cries out. "She's a witch! I demon! She only has one wing! Burn her! Rip that wing out and purge her of her deceit!"

My eyes widen. Isn't he exaggerating just a bit too much? I didn't even lie! "Hey! I didn't say I am anything I'm not!" I spread my wing and hover further away from them. "I'm here to save you!"

"Are you playing God now?"

"No!" I cry out in frustration. "I'm just here to slay there… Akuma… monsters… things… That's all!"

"Then are they dead?" A finger pokes the body.

"Well… not yet…"

"I'm waiting for something to do that…"

"Then you are not our saviour!" they roar out together.

"I didn't say I am!" I protest while waving my arms around as pebbles are being thrown my way. "This isn't fair!" I move my wing to shield me from their oppression, but a particularly sharp rock pierces my feathered- appendage. My wing cramps up from the pain and my body falls through the air. I close my eyes, awaiting impending doom. However, I fall into a pair of arms that saves me from becoming a mummy.

"Oi, this isn't any way to treat a lady," an oddly familiar voice brings chills through my body. When I open my eyes, I see a strange man with ridiculously large, swirly glasses. He has a cigarette between his lips as he speaks.

"Th-thanks," I mumble, a soft blush spreads across my cheeks. What an unusual feeling… "Do I… know you from somewhere?"

He looks down at me. "Hmm… Who knows?"

I open my mouth to question him once more, but a sudden scream interrupts me. I turn my neck to look at the source. Smoke is billowing into the air from a nearby building. 'Put me down!" I wiggle out of his arms and run towards the danger.

Maniacal laughter reaches my ears. "Little humans… Little humans… Where are you…?" I turn and see a level two Akuma. "Oooh… little human… I think I like little girls the most. I've had at least fifteen and I still can't get enough of them."

Creepy…

I take flight. "Sommeil sans Rêves!" Feathers make their way toward the Akuma, but it dodges. "Damn it! I hate level twos!" I'm glad I have never met a level three, yet. I unsheathe my sword to block an incoming attack.

"Hee hee hee, I like your wings, I want one, too." Right before my eyes, it begins to change. The odd clownish body of the Akuma morphs into a form with wings – one that looks identical to my own. "This is one of my special abilities – to copy my opponents," it cackles.

"Great…" I groan as I parry its attacks. "If I could kill you without getting my head blown up by Cross, you wouldn't be so happy laughing, now."

This ridiculously long stalemate continues for hours and my wings and arms are starting to slow, but the Level Two seems to be completely fine. The only good thing that has happened so far is that the townsmen are smart enough to evacuate this area.

"Little girl, I can't believe you're still fighting a measly Level Two!" The familiar voice of Cross, no matter how condescending, is still reassuring. "You are not worthy of being my apprentice!"

My eye twitches in annoyance, now. I try to resist the urge to shout at him and concentrate on the fight, but is sadly unsuccessful. I turn around with fire in my eyes. "You're the stupid one! You're never around when I need you! What's the point in giving me a communication golem if you're not even going to answer?! If you ar-" I quickly turn around when I sense how close the Akuma is, but is unable to dodge the entire blow. A claw descends upon me and catches my shoulder. I move back to dodge another attack, but the Akuma unarms me. My sword flies into the air and pierces the ground under us.

Is Cross going to just watch this thing tear me to pieces?!

"Master, shouldn't we help her?" a young voice asks.

"Let her fend for herself. If she can't handle it, then I have no use for her." WHAT?!

"Damn it! I hate you! Go kill yourself, you stupid thing!" I scream in frustration with my eyes close and throw my sheath at the Akuma. An explosion blows me away. The Akuma is no longer there. Uh-oh…

"Cross…?" I look at him with a meek expression. He doesn't look happy. "I… I didn't mean to kill it. Don't shoot my head off?" Still he does not speak. "I don't hate you? You're not a stupid, lecherous, slave-driving man-whore?" He is beginning to frighten me with his silence. Who knew Cross can have such a serious expression? "Heeeey…" I poke his forehead a few times until he sudden grabs my wrist and pulls me against his body.

My eyes grow wide in shock. "Hey! I'm only sixteen! Stop being such a pervert! Let me go, you old lech-" One of his hands push my forehead back and lift up my bangs. "What are you doing? I only poked you in the forehead a couple of times! Is this revenge?!" He lets go of my waist with his other hand, holds my chin, and turns my head left and right.

Cross seems to be scrutinizing my forehead. "Your skin is so soft," he finally mumbles, stroking my face with his thumb. The serious expression he had completely disappears, replace by his silly perverted look. "No blemishes. No scars. Markings…"

Finally, I push him away, "Stop being such a pervert!"

He merely walks away from me.

"U-um…" A quiet voice interrupts my angry thoughts. I look at the little boy with extremely pale hair, perhaps white with a tint of blue, and grey eyes.

I crouch down to his height. "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, kid," I say with a smile. "What's your name?"

He looks rather doubtful, now. "Allen… Allen Walker."

"I'm Ria Tallentyre."

We smile at each other and run to catch up to Cross.

"So how did you end up with him?" I inquire.

He looks towards the ground with sadness in his eyes. "Mana… Mana died. He said that he can bring Mana back to life. He told me to call for Mana, so I did, but… when Mana came back…" Allen brings one hand to his left eye. I notice an innocence shard embedded into the back of his hand. "He cursed me. Then he couldn't control himself when that man told him to take over my body." That man must be the Millennium Earl – the bane of the Black Order.

"Take over… your body?" I tilt my head in confusion. Cross has never took the time to tell me anything in detail.

"I think the Akuma takes over the body of the caller."

An odd feeling of relief suddenly passes through me. Does that mean that I didn't condemn Jonathon? But who called him back?

"Is Mana your father?"

He looks up at me and shakes his head. "He's my father's brother. He took me in after my father died."

"Ah…"

"Hurry up, idiot pupils," Cross shouts without turning. I open my mouth to retort, but a sudden thought crosses my mind. My sword!

I run to retrieve it. The sheath, however, eludes my sight. I guess I'll need to get a new one. That'll teach me to throw it at an Akuma. It probably got obliterated during the explosion.

**XxXxXxXxXx**

"C-Cross…" I gasp. "Stop it! It's not supposed to go in this way!"

"It'll fit, little girl."

"It's too big!"

"Cross!" I shouted.

"Damn it. Why is it so tight?"

"I've never done this before and stop that! You're pushing too hard!"

Allen suddenly bursts it, his face redder than a rotten tomato. "Master! What are you doing?!"

Cross and I look at him as if he's stupid.

"Want to help me with the new sheath?" I held out the new metal sheath at him. "The shopkeeper said it would fit, but he lied to me! I paid so much for it, too." A big drop of tear fell from my eyes. "Now I owe Master one hundred and fifty pounds for this stupid junk!"

**XxXxXxXxXx**

A year has passed since Allen joined us. I think Cross knew that I was lonely with him gone all the time. Allen is a good companion to have around, but he is still inexperienced and unable to activate his innocence. I am thrown into the battles alone, once more, but at least I can get Allen to drag Cross from whatever hole he happens to be in at that time. Of course, this is only successful twenty percent of the time…

Allen is also a very good poker player. I think he cheats better than I do! Unfortunately, Cross exploits this and lavishly throws money away to every woman that is willing to hang on to his arms. And there is a surprisingly large amount of them… woman I mean.

"Master, help me!" Allen cries out with tears in his eyes. A group of Akuma is chasing him. "Miss Ria, help meeeeeee!"

I wiggle around from my confines. A large hand is covering my mouth, muffling my hostile words.

Cross holds a wine glass in his other hand and calmly sips from it with his eyes closed.

Suddenly, Allen falls to the ground. I struggle more violently against Cross. Is he going to let Allen die?! Of course he isn't, not even Cross is that heartless, because the next thing I know, Cross dumps me from his lap (that really sounds dirty…).

Judgment releases multiple bullets and every Akuma explodes into a puff of toxic miasma. He towers over Allen, glaring at him with the only eye visible. "Idiot pupil, after a year and you are still useless. If you are still unable to activate that innocence of yours I will sell you to the slave market."

**XxXxXxXxXx**

After being threatened day in and day out by Cross, Allen is finally able to activate his innocence. However, the curse in his eye is preventing him from reaching his full potential. He sees the souls entrapped within the Akuma bodies and wimps out every time. I have a feeling he will see that there is no choice but to destroy the Akuma and set the souls free.

"Nalei!" I watch as Allen runs towards his Indian friend who is bathing in the shade of an Indian Mohogany, reading a book on different types of medical treatments. "What are you reading?"

"Hello, Allen. How doctors cure tuberculosis," he replies before turning to me. "Hello, Miss Ria." He gives me a soft smile and nod.

"Hello, Nalei," I, then, turn to my exorcist companion. "Allen, I'm going to go find Cross before he gets into trouble, again. I really can't believe he tried to bargain me for that man's wife…"

Allen and I sweatdrop at the memory.

I wave to the two boys before walking off. The Mahārāja's palace is usually off limits to ordinary travelers, but since we are from the Black Order, the guards have been told that we have free access.

"Sundara, I have never seen a more fair lady than yourself," I hear a familiar lecher say from one of the many rooms. "No skin looks as healthy and exotic as yours. No eyes are as entrancing as your own." Giggles follow. Can that possibly be the Mahārāja's widow? Even he can't be crazy enough to flirt with a woman like her… right?

I peek in. Of course, he's that stupid. The lady-in-waiting is also there. She spots me and smiles before giving a small wave. The two of us have become quick friends. Mina is also Nalei's older sister. She is a beauty with dark hair and eyes. Her tanned skin glows under the midday sun. She will become a wonderful dancer, one day.

Cross also seems to notice me, but as usually, he promptly chooses to ignore me.

I grin at Mina before slinking back out the door. What to do, now? The day is beautiful, but Allen is busy with Nalei and Mina is busy attending to the Mahārājñī. I wander through the garden, gliding my fingers across waxy green leaves of enormous elephant topiaries. Two beautiful butterflies flutter by me. One is black with white designs and one is white with black designs – _Mimathyma ambica_ and _Idea malabarica._ They fly in a weaving pattern.

A small smile spread across my lips as I follow them. Where are they doing? Why are they together? As I skip along the pavement, I trip over something semi-soft and fell on my face.

* * *

**DEFINITION:**

_Ma raison d'être_: My reason to life is generally what it means or in some literally term, "My reason to be."

_Xue Mei_: Snow Beauty (hopefully) in Chinese pingyin

_Sundara_: Beautiful in Hindi (pronunciation)? I hope I do not get this wrong.

_Mahārājñī__:_ Maharaja's wife or the woman ruler (found on wiki).

_Rajmata_: Maharaja's widow/ Queen mother (found on wiki).

**NOTE:**

"Cadet Rousselle" is a French folksong (perhaps not? A satirical song?). According to wiki it is written by Gaspard de Chenu in 1792.

Indian Mohogany: if you haven't figured out is a tree species found in India. (was going to write willow, but had to check if it grows in India)

_Mimathyma ambica_: A species of butterfly that is found in India (wiki). Its common name is The Purple Emperor.

_Idea malabarica:_ A species of butterfly that is found in India (wiki). Its common name is The Malabar Tree Nymph.

Both of these butterflies are from the Nymphalidae family. It took me quite a while to find two butterflies that satisfied my criteria.


End file.
